“I’m givin’ it my best shot.” Sally picked up one of the pies and bit the end off. “I have to find someone who doesn’t mind a woman who isn’t a skinny trophy girl.”

“He’s out there,” Polly said. “Guess you just got to be patient.”

“Hey,” Teena called out from the back room, “what’s going on in here?”

“We’re having a party,” Polly yelled. “Fried pies and milk. We’ll have cake and champagne at the wedding.”

“What wedding?” Teena raised her dark eyebrows. “And who’s getting married?”

“Nobody,” Lily said quickly. “At least not for a long time, if even then. Lord, we aren’t even dating. It’s just a bunch of gossip. Don’t scare him off by mentioning wedding cake.”

“Our daughter” popped back into her mind. “Teena, what’s going on in your world?” Lily asked. “We haven’t talked in a few days.”

“Ryder went back to the university, but he’s moving in with Macy this summer. He hates school and really does want to go into the business with me, so I’m going to let him have a chance at it. Macy is going to finish up the first stage of her nursing school, get a job as an LPN and study at night for her RN degree, and they’ll be living in her little apartment,” Teena said. “Life goes on, and we move on, even after heartbreaks. We’ve all proven that more than once. I’m just so grateful that y’all have been here with me throughout this whole thing. Support means so much. Sometimes I feel like we’re sisters and not just friends.”

“Honey, y’all three are sisters of the heart,” Polly said, “like me and Vera used to be. I’m like your meddling old aunt—glad for every minute I get to spend with you kids.” She sighed. “I also heard that there was some kind of fiasco a while back with Holly and Braden. I’ve heard all the rumors, but I’m behind on the real stuff since I ain’t been to see y’all in a few weeks.”

“Well, I heard that Mack took you to meet his parents,” Teena said. “Sounds pretty serious to me.”

Sally held up her hand. “You better let me tell the story about the kids. Lily’s blood pressure still goes out the roof when she talks about it.”

“I’ll tell it.” Lily told Teena and Polly that she was still mad as hell about the horrible hotel incident with the kids as she finished off her pie and wiped her fingers on one of the napkins supplied by the pastry shop. “I need to get over it, but I get angry every time I think about it.”